Zuma must explain reshuffle
ONCE again, President Jacob Zuma had decided to reshuffle the cabinet, axing three ministers.
While reshuffling is necessary in cases where service delivery is comprised by issues such as incompetence and corruption, reasons for the sacking of the ministers need to be given.
Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj was quoted as saying: “The presidency wishes to remind opinion-makers that the president of the Republic uses his prerogative when appointing members to the national executive”.
Yes, we understand that the president uses his prerogative, but what happened to the public’s right to know?
I think that it would be best if the president gave reasons for the reshuffling because this would help the newly appointed ministers to know exactly how they should execute their tasks.
When former president Thabo Mbeki sacked his then deputy, Zuma, back in 2005, Mbeki gave South Africans the reasons why he did that.
The presidency needs to understand that there is no way the public can remain silent as long as South Africans believe that there are other people in the cabinet who also deserve the chop.
I believe that Zuma’s refusal to take questions from journalists after he announced the reshuffle was motivated by sup- pressing the truth.
He knew that he would struggle to justify his actions. As long as reshuffling is done without giving reasons, the nation will continue to see it as purging.
Malphia Honwane Gottenburg, eManyeleti